Boo! Pots

Looking for a quick-and-easy Halloween project that is sure to be an eye-catcher? Try making this Halloween decoration.

What You'll Need

These fun pots will BOOst your holiday decor.

• 4 x 4 x 2-inch foam block
• Serrated knife
• 4 clay pots, 3 inches each
• Natural excelsior moss
  
• Ribbon: 36 inches green, 3/4 inch wide; 36 inches purple wire-edge, 11/2 inches wide
• Scissors
• Pencil
• 2 sheets double-sided super-sticky tape, 9 x 6 inches each
• Aluminum armature wire, 1/16 inch diameter
• Wire cutters
• Hammer
• Glass or metal baking dish
• Assorted wiggle eyes, 3mm to 28mm
• Tiny glass marbles: purple, green
• Tiny green glass bead mix
• 18-gauge black wire
• Round-nose jewelry pliers
• Black "E" beads

1. Use serrated knife to cut foam block into 4 equal blocks. Insert a block into each clay pot, wedging it tightly inside. Remove foam, and trim so foam is 1/2 inch below top edge of pot. Replace foam in all pots.
   
   
2. Cover foam with excelsior moss. Tuck edges of moss around foam, covering foam completely. Cut both ribbons in half. Wrap top edge of 2 pots with green ribbon, tie a knot, and V-cut ribbon ends. Repeat for remaining 2 pots using purple ribbon. Set pots aside.

   Use the excelsior moss to cover the foam completely.

3. Use the Boo! Pots Halloween decoration PDF pattern to trace 4 O's, 2 B's (flip pattern to make back of B), 2 exclamation points, and 2 dots onto super-sticky tape. Cut out.
   
   
4. Shape aluminum wire into framework for letters and exclamation point, making framework 1/4 inch smaller than shapes. Leave a 31/2-inch tail at bottom of all shapes. Hammer wire flat.

   Hammer the wire shapes flat.

5. Place a B and a backward B in baking dish, and peel off top protective layer. Press wiggle eyes in place. Pour purple tiny glass marbles over tape to coat. Carefully press front surface of B into marbles to fill any areas that weren't completely coated. Repeat process for all shapes. Note: For 2 O's (1 front and 1 back), use green glass bead mix, then fill in empty spaces with green glass marbles.

   Use the green glass beads and marbles for the letter O's.

6. Use front of shapes for this step. Remove protective layer from back of bead-coated shape, and place bead-side down onto a flat surface. Press framework onto sticky side. Replace protective layer. Attach framework to all letter fronts.
   
   
7. For backs of all letters, remove backing from unbeaded side. Take off protective layer from letter fronts, and apply matching back to each shape. Should edges not match exactly, press appropriate color beads or marbles to coat. Repeat for all shapes. Insert wire tail into clay pot.
   
   
8. Use jewelry pliers to bend and shape black craft wire, creating spooky shapes. Thread "E" beads onto wire, and space them throughout shape. Cut wire end, and insert into clay pot. The finished pots are ready to arrange and display.

If you're looking for truly bewitching Halloween decoration ideas, look no further than the next page. We've brewed up a special treat just for you.

Want to scare up more fun Halloween ideas? Try these:

• Halloween Crafts: Not done being creative? These are great do-it-yourself projects for Halloween, from trick-or-treat boxes to candy jewelry.
• Kids' Halloween Costumes: Try on our unique costume ideas for your ghosts and goblins.
• Halloween Masks: Want an easy way to dress up for Halloween? Try a mask instead of a costume. Check out our selection of monstrous masks.
• Halloween Games: Play more than 20 spooktacular games to entertain kids and adults alike.
• Halloween Recipes: Learn how to make dozens of bewitching Halloween treats.
• How Halloween Works: Traces the popular holiday’s Celtic roots to American traditions celebrated today.